Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bottles used in the industrial chemicals industry, and more specifically, to a transportation, storage and pouring vessel that is sized and shaped to introduce fluid matter into capless fuel systems.
Description of the Prior Art
Many vehicle operators utilize fuel additives in order to modify or improve certain characteristics such as gasoline's octane rating, or act as a corrosion inhibitor or lubricant. An example of a common and commercially available fuel additive is STP® brand “Gas Treatment”. Fuel additives typically include components such as metal deactivators, corrosion inhibitors, oxygenates and antioxidants. Typically a user purchases a fuel additive in a container having an elongated neck that terminates in the container opening. This design allows many fuel additive users to simply remove the container cap, direct the opening of the container into the gas tank opening, and pour in the contents. The specific size and shape of the container varies by manufacturer and product.
The addition of fuel additives into capless gas systems, however, is more complicated. In general, a capless gas system does not have a cap, but rather a self-sealing mechanism at the point of entry of fuel for the fuel tank. This self-sealing mechanism is typically a spring-loaded interior lid that allows entry of a standard fuel-pump nozzle, but remains closed when a nonstandard fuel-pump nozzle attempts to gain entry. The opening action is activated by the depression of two tabs along the perimeter of the gas spout entry point. Capless gas systems are gaining in popularity with automobile manufacturers because they are considered an improvement over standard systems as they prevent fueling with the wrong type of fuel, prevent fuel theft, and because they greatly reduce environmental hazards such as fuel spillage and evaporation that arises from improperly tightened or otherwise defective gas caps. An example of a capless fuel system is Ford Motor Company's EASY FUEL® system.
Because capless gas systems are specifically designed to prevent the introduction of substances into the gas tank using a nonstandard nozzle or spout, it is not possible to introduce fuel additives to capless gas systems using the current standard fuel additive containers. As a result, motorists having capless gas systems either can't use fuel additives, or they experience great difficulty if they attempt to use a standard fuel additive container to introduce the fuel additive into their capless gas tank. Spillage of these liquids is messy, can damage the car's paint, and can be hazardous to both people and the environment.
In order to overcome the difficulty of introducing fuel additives into capless gas tanks, one may employ a funnel-like device that is sized and shaped like a gas nozzle, thereby allowing entry of the device and dispensing the additive into the fuel tank. These funnel-like devices, however, are cumbersome, may or may not fit a given bottle, often require post-use cleanup and storage, and may lead to spillage of hazardous chemicals. Moreover, car operators are accustomed to being able to simply pour their additives from the storage bottle, and are inconvenienced by, or unaware of, the need for a separate funnel.
In short, it would be ideal if fuel additives came in a bottle that was capable of dispensing liquids into a capless gas tank. However, this has proved to be difficult. In order to have a bottle that is useful for transporting and storing fuel additives, the bottle must be inexpensive, disposable and capable of being closed, preferably with a standard cap, like conventional fuel additive bottles. In other words, it must be mass produced using materials and production methods known in the industry.
In order for a spout to gain entry to a capless gas tank, tabs around the perimeter of the capless system's entry point must be uniformly depressed a specific distance. It is this specificity that permits an unleaded gas nozzle, for example, to dispense gas into a capless gas tank system of a car that requires unleaded gas, but prevents entry of a diesel gas spout, or a siphoning hose.
Until now, current standard fuel additive bottles having continuous threads cause difficulty in neck entry and extraction from capless fuel systems. This is because the conventional thread pattern, which wraps around the entire perimeter of the bottle spout, can't properly address the function of a capless system's entry/exit point. More specifically, upon extraction from the capless fuel system, depression tabs need to abut and slide along a planar surface in order to “exit” the fuel door, and permit removal of the spout. Conventional threads provide a bumpy surface for abutting tabs, thereby preventing proper depression of tabs. Moreover, depressed tabs get stuck on bumpy threads, so the spring loaded door mechanism, which allows entry to the tank, can't be pushed open with the end of the spout.
In order to resolve the various problems associated with introducing fuel additives into capless gas tanks, there is a need for an improved bottle that eliminates the need for a separate funnel. It is desirable that this improved bottle can be produced using conventional methods and equipment, and that it can be used with standard, commercially available bottle caps having standard thread patterns. It is desirable that the aesthetics of this improved bottle can vary in order to maintain brand identity for a variety of different products and companies.
It is desirable that the improved bottle is disposable, easy to use, and complies with environmental regulations related to storing, transporting and dispensing chemicals. It is also desirable that this bottle also works fine with conventional fuel systems that utilize a removable gas cap.